Refrigerating apparatus



Jan. 2, 143 L. A. PHILIPP REFRIGERATING. APPARATUS Filed Dec. a, 1946 v ly llll r ll Kllfll lllll l r lllll P Ax} INVENTOR. Lamas/m PHIL/PP [2 al MM & ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 26, 1943 2,309,532;v V REFRIGERATING arraitarus Lawrence A. Philipp, Detroit, Mich, assignor to N ash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich,

a corporation of Maryland V Application December 6, 1940, Serial-No.-368,846

, 8.Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating "apparatus, and, more particularly, to refrigerating apparatus of the multiple temperature type.

One of the objects of my invention is to pro vide an improved refrigerating apparatus which maintains a food compartment at a; relatively high refrigerating temperature and a high'humidity and 'at the same time maintains a freez: ing compartment at a relatively low temperature.

Another object of my invention is to provide a primary refrigerating system for absorbing heat from a plurality of secondary systems wherein one of said systems is utilized for absorbing heat from circulating air and another of said secondary systems is utilized for freezing substances and for absorbing heat from the other secondary system.

Another object of my invention is to encircle a freezing zone with a secondary system for freezing substances therein and to position a primary refrigerating system indirect contact with said secondary system for absorbing heat therefrom.

Another object of my invention is to divide the interior of a cabinet into freezing and air cooling zones and to cool said'zones by separate evaporators with the freezing zone housing one of said evaporators in air circulating relation with the cabinet insulationtofreeze out any moisture from the airwhich contacts said insulation to thereby keep said insulation free from moisture. 4

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentirom the following description, reference being had to the accompanying'drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearlyshowm Inthe drawing? Fig. 1 is a side'verti'cal'view partly in elevation, partly in cross-section'and partly broken away, of a refrigeratingT-apparatus embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view taken along the line2--2 of 7 Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view partly broken away of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the refrigerating apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

* Referring to the drawing, the numeral 20 des- I ignates,-in general, a cabinet having a compartment 22 for the storage of foods to refriger ated, a freezing compartment and'a machine compartment M.

The cabinet is providedwith insulated walls for enclosing the food storage'f and freezing compartments, including side walls (on. 62-99)] l 26, rear wall iL'bottom wall 29 and top wall 30. The cabinet is provided at -the' front with an opening which-isadapted to beclosed by a door 3|. The food storage compartment and the freezing compartment are separated by a fixed, substantially horizontally disposed,- insulated wall 32=and a fixed, substantially vertically disposed,*insulated-"wal1 33. These two walls join at a point near the front bfthecabinet. -An inner-metallic lining member 35 forms'the inner walls of the food storage compartment and is preferably provided with I a coating of vitreous enamel; such'as porcelain, to provide a heat appearing compartment and one which may easily be cleane'dr The freezi'ng compartment"' 23' is provided with an *openlngfli which is closed by a door 31. Within the freezing compartment 23 there is disposed a freez'lng chamber' proper,

designated by the numeral 38.- It comprises a box-like sheet metal casing open at one end, said end being adaptedto =flt-intothe opening 35; The casing is preferably spaced from the walls of the freezing compartment. -The machine compartment'fl-"is"also provided at the front of the cabinet with an opening adapted to be closed by a movable door lli. -The inner side ofthis door isprovided withia bin 4! for storing vege; tables'andthe like. The entire cabinet is' 'rais'ed above the level of the floor by means'of legs 43 to allow air from the'room tocirculate through an opening 44 in the bottom of themachine compartment into said compartment.

Numeral l5 designates, in general, a primary refrigerating system which includes a refrigerant coollng or evaporating element 46 disposed in the freezing compartment or zone 23 and a refrigerant condensing or circulating element 111 disposed in the machine compartment. These elements are operatively associated with one another by a liquid supply conduit 49 and a vapor return conduit '50. The entire primary refriger-- ating system is adapted to be removed as a unit whenever desired, as will be later described; l

The evaporating element 46 comprises, in general, a flat platevlike heat absorbing element disposed within the "f eezing-compartment as near; the'top thereof. Liquid supply conduitflaj connects with one endof the} conduit 52fvvl'1ilei vapor'return conduit illf'connectswith'the other.

The refrigerant condensing element '4"!- 86m prises, in general, a compressor and motor hermetically sealed in a casing 54 and a condenser 56. The cooling of the condensing unit may be accomplished either by forced or natural convection, the latter way being the one shown. Air from the room circulates through the opening 46 and thence over the condenser. A flzue (not shown) is preferably provided at the back of the cabinet for enhancing the natural convection effect.

In operation, the compressor withdraws gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator 46 through the vapor conduit 50, compresses the gaseous refrigerant and delivers it to the condenser 55 wherein it is liquefied and from which it is delivered in liquid form to the evaporator 45 through the supply conduit 49. The flow of liquid refrigerant to the evaporator is controlled. preferably, by the supply conduititself, which. comprises a capillary tube of proper dimensions to meter the quantity of liquid refrigerant fiowing from the condensing element to the evaporating element during entire operation of the system. This capillary conduit is preferably secured to the return vapor conduit 50 in intimate heat exchange relation therewith. Preferably, the system is intermittently operated, and any suitable conventional method of accomplishing this may be adopted.

Numeral 60 designates, in general, a. closed refrigerant circulating system which is adapted to maintain the freezing chamber 38 at temperatures sufiiciently low to freeze ice cubes and the like. This system comprises, preferably a coiled conduit 62 which is wrapped around the chamber 38 and in contact therewith from the front to back thereof, the last coil at the rear of the chamber being connected to the first coil at the frontby means of a conduit 63. The entire system'is secured to the outside of chamber 38 in any suitable heat exchanging relation as by solder or cementing material such as Hydrolene. Of course, other arrangements of the conduit 62 may be used, or instead of a coiled conduit, platelike chambers at top and bottom of the freezing chamber connected by conduits may be employed, if desired. The top surfaces of the conduit 62 running across the top of chamber 38 are in thermal contact with the primary cooling element 46, which is adapted to rest thereon or be secured thereto by any suitable clamp (not shown) which permits ready separation of the two elements. Any suitable volatile refrigerant may be used to charge the secondary system 60. The upper surfaces of the conduit 62 in contact with the primary cooling element it serve means for condensing the refrigerant evaporated in the conduit 62 as it circulates through the system. The entire freezing chamber 38 can thus be maintained at a uniform freezing temperature by this closed refrigerant circulating system. The temperature actually obtained can be regulated by the extent of the surface of the .system 6!) contacting the primary refrigerant evaporator as is well understood in the art. For quick freezing purposes, receptacles such as that indicated by the numeral 65 may be placed on the floor of the freezing chamber immediately above the lowermost portions of the conduit 62 where the liquid refrigerant tends to collect. Any moisture condensing on the outside of the chamber 38 is collected in a sheet metal trough 66 at the bottom of compartment 275 from which it may be drained through a tube 57 into the food compartment 22 where it may be conveniently collected for ready removal, as will be described later.

Since the freezing compartment 23 is in open communication with the cabinet insulation the low temperature coils therein will freeze out any moisture in the air which contacts the insulation thereby keeping it dry.

Numeral 10 designates, in general, a secondary refrigerating system which is adapted to maintain the food compartment 22 at a relatively high and uniform refrigerating temperature and at a relatively high humidity so that little dehydration of the foods stored therein is accomplished while still keeping the foods at the proper refrigerating temperature. This system includes a cooling or evaporating element designated, in general, by the number 12 and a condensing element designated, in general, by the number 14. These are operatively connected by a liquid supply conduit !6 anda vapor return conduit 11. The evaporating element 12 comprises, preferably, a sinuous conduit which is secured in any suitable fashion as by soldering or by some cementing material, such as Hydrolene," in intimate heat conducting relationship to the outside of the inner lining member 35 of the foodcompartment. This conduit runs back and forth across the bottom of the liner, then progressively upward mbracing three sides of the liner until it reaches the top of the lining member where it joins with the vapor return conduit 11.

The condensing element 14 is preferably of similar construction to that of the evaporating element 46 having a plate 80 to which is welded another plate having raised portions thereon for providing a refrigerant passage 82 between the plates. One end of the passage is connected to the liquid supply conduit 76 and the other end to the vapor return conduit 11. The condensing element is disposed in the lower part of the freezing compartment 23 and arranged so that the plate 80 is in direct contact with the lower portions of the closed refrigerant circulating system fifl for condensing refrigerant evaporated in the secondary system. Any desired temperature dlfierential may be maintained between the primary and secondary systems by varying the effectiveness of the transfer of heat from the secondary condenser to the primary evaporator as is well understood in the art. Accordingly in the present arrangement the extent of contact between the secondary condenser and the system 60 may be varied or the refrigerants employed in the respective systems may be changed. In any case, the temperature maintained within thefood compartment by the secondary system is sufficiently low to properly refrigerate the foods contained in the compartment and sufficiently high to avoid formation of frost in the food compartment or undue condensation of moisture from the air, thereby preventing the dehydration of the foods.

In operation, the refrigerant evaporated within the secondary system by the absorption of heat from the food ompartment is conveyed by the vapo return conduit T7 to the condensing clement it where it is liquefied and from which it is delivered by gravity through'conduit 1G to the section of evaporator '12 at the bottom of the food compartment. It then circulates upwardly through the sinuous conduit wrapped around the walls of the lining member. In this manner the entire food compartment is cooled to a substantially uniform refrigerating temperature while still maintaining said temperature above the dew point of the air therein under most conditions of operation. Any moisture which does condense is drained through a pipe 84 to, a receptacle 86 disposed at the rear of the bin 4|.

The enti e primary refrigerating system may be removed from the cabinet as a unitary structure. The structure includes the condensing element 41, the evaporating element 46, and an insulated removable closure member 90 which is adapted to close an opening extending across the rear wall of the freezing compartment 23. To remove the structure it is necessary only to move it rearwards from the cabinet. The evaporating element which rests on the freezing chamber is slipped through the opening at the rear of the compartment while the condensing element is slipped out the back of the machine compartment. Thus the entire structure may be removed for repairs and the like.

The freezing chamber with its encircling refrigerating system may also be removed from the cabinet. Any belts or screws used to secure the chamber in position within the freezing compartment are removed and the entire assembly slipped out the opening at the rear of said compartment without disturbing the secondary system 60. If desired however the sleeve 38, primary evaporator 23 and coiled secondary system may be removed as a unit through the opening,

in the rear of cabinet closed by plug 96. In this case these parts may be permanently secured together to provide good heat transfer. In this case the opening at the rear of cabinet is made slightly larger to permit the ready removal of these parts as a unit, such unit being shown in Fig. 4.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, an insulated cabinet, at low temperature primary refrigerant evaporator disposed within said cabinet, a closed refrigerant circulating system arranged within said cabinet to enclose a freezing zone and having a portion thereof in thermal contact with said primary evaporator, a secondary refrigerant evaporator arranged within said cabinet to substantially enclose a food storage and refrigerating space and a secondary condenser connected to said secondary evaporator and thermally associated with a portion of said closed refrigerant circulating system.

2. Refrigerating. apparatus, comprising, in combination, an insulated cabinet, a primary refrigerating system having a low temperature heat absorbing element disposed in said cabinet, a closed refrigerant circulating system disposed within said cabinet and enclosing a freezing zone, said system having a portion thereof associated in heat exchange relation'with said primary heat absorbing element, and a secondary refrigerating system disposed within said cabinet and having a cooling element which substantially encloses a food storage zone and a condensing element which is placed in heat exchange relation with a portion of said refrigerant circulating system.

3. Refrigerating apparatus, comprising, in

thermally insulated compartments, 8. flat plate primary refrigerant cooling element horizontally disposed across the top of one of said compartments, a flat plate secondary refrigerant condensing element horizontally disposed across the bottom of same compartment, a freezing'chamber encircled by a closed sinuous refrigerant conveying conduit and pressed between said fiat plate primary cooling element and said flat plate secondary condensing element in direct contact therewith, and a secondary refrigerant cooling element operatively connected to said secondary condensing element and disposed in heat-exchange relation with said other thermally insulated compartment.

5. Refrigerating apparatus, comprising, in combination, an insulated cabinet having .two compartments, 8. primary refrigerating system having a cooling element disposed in one of said compartments, a secondary refrigerating system having a cooling element disposed in heat conducting relation with the second compartment and a condensing element disposed in said first compartment, and a freezing chamber having attached thereto in heat conducting relation a closed refrigerant circulating system, said freezing chamber with its refrigerant circulating system being disposed in heat exchange relation with both said primary cooling element and said secondary condensing element.

6. Refrigerating apparatus, comprising, in combination, an insulated cabinet having two compartments, a primary refrigerant cooling element horizontally disposed across the top of one of said compartments, a secondary refrigerant condensing element horizontally disposed across the bottom of same compartment, a freezing chamber having secured in direct contact therewith a closed refrigerant circulating system, said chamber with said circulating system being disposed between said primary cooling element and said secondary condensing element in direct contact therewith, and a secondary refrigerant cooling element operatively connected to said secondary condensing element and disposed in heat exchange relation with said other thermally insulatedcompartment.

7. Refrigerating apparatus, comprising, in combination, an insulated cabinet having two compartments, a removable primary refrigerant cooling element horizontally disposed across the top of one of said compartments, a fixed secondary; refrigerant condensing element horizontally disposed across the bottom of said one compartment, a freezing chamber having secured in thermal contact thereto a closed refrigeran't circulating system, said chamber with said refrigerant circulating system being removably disposed between said primary cooling element and said seconday condensing element in thermal contact therewith, and a fixed secondary refrigerant cooling element operatively connected to said secondary condensing element and disposed in heat exchange relation with said other thermally insulated compartment.

8. Refrigerating apparatus, comprising, in combination, an insulated cabinet having two thermally insulated compartments, a freezing chamber removably disposed within one of the thermally insulated compartments, a primary refrigerating system including a refrigerant cooling element removably disposed in said one thermally insulated compartment, a secondary refrigerating system disposed in intimate heatexchanging relation with said removable freezing compartment and also disposed in thermal LAWRENCE A. PI-HLIPP. 

